Genshin Impact: Why New Characters in Snezhnaya Need to Stand Out

For several years now, Genshin Impact has been a constantly present title in the gaming world. However, nothing is eternal. Although HoYoverse has not yet revealed the full extent of its plans, it's reasonable to assume that the game is approaching the final stages of its story. Keeping this in mind, Genshin Impact should be extremely careful to ensure that its upcoming characters are unique and stand out.

Genshin Impact has been a huge success for most of its existence, but that hasn't completely protected it from criticism. Perhaps the most ongoing discussion has been about character design. Despite having a very diverse setting, some of Genshin Impact's characters tend to be similar. Fortunately, the upcoming Snezhnaya region is the perfect opportunity to change direction.

Snezhnaya May Be the Penultimate Chapter in Genshin Impact's Story

Genshin Impact is set in Teyvat, a vast world full of potential for amazing adventures. Through the game's gacha system, players can obtain many characters. Each character has a Vision, which corresponds to one of the seven elements that dominate the world. Similarly, there are seven major regions in Teyvat for players to explore.

These regions have been added to the game one after another since its launch, and they provide a consistent structure for Genshin Impact's major updates. However, this structure also imposes a strict time limit on development. Barring any major disruptions, Genshin Impact's story seems to be rapidly approaching its conclusion.

Genshin Impact recently released the Natlan region. Once Natlan's time in the spotlight inevitably ends, the game will then move on to the nation of Snezhnaya. Snezhnaya is home to the Fatui Harbingers, who are the ongoing antagonists of the story. Moreover, it is the last major region that remains unexplored. Once Snezhnaya's time is up, players will only have Khaenri'ah left to explore, meaning Genshin Impact may only have a few major updates left before its story is completed.

Snezhnaya Characters Need to Follow in the Footsteps of the Fatui Harbingers

First impressions are important, but a final impression can be just as significant. Considering it will be the last of the seven nations for players to explore, Snezhnaya needs to learn from every region that has come before it. In the same way, since it is the home of the game's main villains, Snezhnaya's other playable characters should reflect this.

Of course, Snezhnaya doesn't need to make all of its characters associated with the Harbingers. In fact, they don't need to be antagonists in general. However, the Fatui Harbingers are some of the most popular characters in the game for a reason. Each of them is extremely distinct from one another, and this could inspire the next characters to join Genshin Impact's large roster.

Snezhnaya Could Be a Swan Song for Genshin Impact Character Design

Genshin Impact has a large number of playable characters, which somewhat explains why some designs may seem similar. If there is any time to break the game's previous conventions, it's Snezhnaya. Not only is the setting different from every previous region, it may be the last chance for developers to innovate on existing tropes.

Snezhnaya's climate is a simple example of a factor that could influence its characters' designs. Sumeru and Natlan both have arid regions, and the characters living there mostly reflect this in their clothing style. In contrast, Snezhnaya is the land of Cryo, and its freezing climate provides plenty of reasons for unique characters. Genshin Impact has had a problem with diversity in the past, and it's unlikely that Snezhnaya could completely fix this, but developers could always aim for more cultural accuracy.

There are many paths developers could take, but breaking boundaries is crucial. The Fatui Harbingers provide a solid model for what Snezhnaya's playable characters could be like, thanks to their distinct personalities and designs. Genshin Impact needs its upcoming characters to be different from each other and especially distinct from what has come before.